Getting player 'buy in' for running tension horror games?

>>55068729
Pretty hard to incorperate that online. A good example would be how a horror movie doesn't have the same effect if you watch it in a lit room with friends. Atmosphere is the most important part. Which is hard to impossible to emulate online.

>>55068852
To add to this I played a text game on roll20 last night, and while the dm went through all of the stops if adding music and sound effects, bloody imagery, it didn't stop my lizardman from hitting on the human noble female with the rest of the party joking around.

>>55068852

Thanks.

>>55068879

Thank you to, also did your lizard man tap that non scale skin ass?

>>55068904
Same guy, and not yet, but Im wearing her down. My final suggestion would be to play with people you know will take your material seriously. If you just make an open invite, you could get an asshole like me, and lolsorandomcatpoopXD kiddie, a minmaxer. I would say screen first and goodluck

>>55068729
Best way is to limit the players' information, or at least make them feel like it. Don't let them roll the dice. If there's a map, make the fog of war come back when the players have moved on.

Other is to disorient them by making them doubt what things are actually happening and what are not. Like giving conflicting information, one of which is extremely unbelievable, but it happens to be the correct information. (For example: The lights suddenly going off for one player and they can't see a thing, but you still give other players negatives on normal things like navigating a room, even though you describe them like they saw it).

Better yet if the game really doesn't have a lot of stats or other things to rely on. Any abilities and static numbers on a character sheet give the players a feeling of safety, something they can trust.

Like, a really simple way to do a horror game:
>Characters have 2 traits they're good at, and one weakness.
>You have 3 tokens that you regain very slowly. 2 +5s and 1 +10.
>Tokens can be used when facing weaknesses or strengths. With weaknesses, it means the roll becomes normal (otherwise have some detriment such as failure means a roll of 0), and with strength, you gain the number.
>Any task is difficulty from 1-12, and you roll d10 to settle it. GM always rolls the d10.
>If the GM rolls a 0, the players will get a scare. If the GM rolls a 0 when a token was used, players will get a risk, such as the monster / killer / something scary appearing and giving chase.

Best horror games are those where you have control on things, but don't feel like you actually do. But to keep the tension, it must also feel like the players have an escape, just a really hard and convoluted one.